Conference under the title, "Religion & Civilisation: Protection of Civilisation as a Purpose of Religion”, co-organised by the Maqāṣid Centre at Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation, Ibn Haldun University, and the Alliance of Civilisations Institute, hosted at Ibn Haldun University in Istanbul, from Friday, 19th October to Sunday, 21st October 2017.

Dozens of leading scholars and
researchers from 15 countries converged on Istanbul to participate in the
Conference, “Religion & Civilisation: Protection of Civilisation as a
Purpose of Religion”. This was co-organised by the Centre for the Study of the
Philosophy of Islamic Law at Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation, Ibn Haldun
University, and the Alliance of Civilisations Institute. The Conference was
hosted at Ibn Haldun University in Istanbul, and took place from Friday 19th
October to Sunday 21st October 2017.

The idea for this international
conference was founded on Ibn Khaldun’s conceptualisation of civilisation as an
objective of Islamic law. Indeed, Ibn Khaldun’s scientific corpus continues to
be a rich source for researchers, not only in the sphere of academic studies
and criticism, but also informing new epistemological theory. The conference
organisers’ intent was to bring one aspect of Ibn Khaldun’s thought into the
spotlight, namely civilisation as an Islamic law objective; given the utility
of its application in addressing contemporary reality and its rapid changes.

Dr Recep Şentürk, President of Ibn Haldun University and the Alliance of Civilisations Institute

Dr Recep Şentürk, President of Ibn Haldun
University and the Alliance of Civilisations Institute, opened the proceedings
on Friday morning, 19 October, giving a speech explaining the idea of the Conference.
He indicated that Ibn Haldun University, and the Alliance of Civilisations
Institute, in collaboration with Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation, had
jointly organised this forum. The object was to bring together the
representatives of different civilisations to generate a thoughtful discussion
on issues of civilisation. He added that many prominent scholars and speakers
were participating in this conference to explore the best means for the
re-evaluation of the formulation and development of topics related to
“civilisation as an objective of Islamic law”. He also presented a
comprehensive overview of Ibn Haldun University that had been established the
previous year.

In turn, Mr Sali Shahsivari, Managing
Director at Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation, emphasised the importance of
the Conference in his opening speech. He elaborated on the idea that the basis
of all the religious rulings delivered by the Messengers, was to secure the
objective of attaining and protecting a civilised way of life. Moreover, in
absolute terms, a religious objective encompassed anything that achieved and
preserved a balanced state of communal human civilisation, free of injustice,
oppression, or aggression. Indeed, without such civilisation, human existence
could not be perfected, nor would human development progress; in the absence of
civilisation, the role of humans as God’s vicegerents on earth would not be
fulfilled.

Mr Sali Shahsivari, Managing Director at Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation, emphasised the importance of the Conference in his opening speech

Mr Shahsivari added that today, the world
and humanity are enduring political, economic, social, and moral conditions
bordering on an invitation of destruction of civilisation and the world; in the
backdrop was modernism’s failure to create an ideal civilisation, with the
exclusion of religion from all aspects of life; therefore, it was imperative to
interrogate the reasons that led to this crisis in the world generally, and in
the Muslim nation in particular. Moreover, he pointed to the Conference’s vital
importance and role in identifying the root problem, emphasising religion as
the basis of civilisation.

The first day’s conference sessions
focused principally on the Islamic law objectives (maqāṣid).
Dr Jassim Sultan delivered a lecture on “The conditions of readiness for
establishingʿumrān”,
then Dr Mesfir Al Qahtani on “The objective of civilisational ‘umrān: A
critical scientific view”, followed by the sociologist, Dr Mazen Hashem on “The
objectives ofʿumrān:
methodological issues”.

Further sessions comprised lectures by Dr
Badrane Benlahcene on “The role of religion in achieving socialʿumrān”, Dr Abdelmajid Najar on
“The role of society in
buildingʿumrān:
A Sharīʿah
objective”, Dr Saifeldin Abdelfattah on “The objective of preservingʿumrān
and good governance”, Dr Mohamed El-Moctar Shinqiti on “The relationship
between authoritarianism and decadence in Islamic civilisation: Reading into
the concept of “public disinterest” in Kawākibī’s thought”, and Dr Tayeb
Bergouth on “The movement of civilisational cycles and the network of general
laws affecting it: A methodological, Qurʾānic
and objective-based approach”.

Subsequently, Dr Hayrettin Yücesoy
delivered his lecture on “Before civilisation: Notions of human collectivism in
the premodern Middle East”. In turn, Dr Hüseyin Yilmaz delivered “From city to
civilisation: The origins of the Ottoman concept of civilisation”.

Each lecture was followed by discussion
and comments from the participants.

On the second day, His Excellency, the
President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended. He thanked
the organisers of this key Conference, and announced that in the next three
years, Ibn Haldun University would be fully constructed in the Islamic style.
In his address, he emphasised the Islamic civilisation’s role as the sole force
capable of protecting humanity for the world.

Dr Taha Abdurrahman

The afternoon of the second day witnessed
a keynote lecture by the guest of honour, Dr Taha Abdurrahman, titled “Human
trusteeship (amānah) and civilisational responsibility”.

The Conference addressed the topic of ‘umrān
and civilisation from various perspectives in 62 parallel workshop sessions,
taking place over days two and three of the Conference. These covered the
themes of religion, civilisation, literature, economics, music, education,
medicine, environment, and technology.

The Conference closed with a lecture by
Abdul-Wahed El-Wakil on “Architecture, religion and civilisation”, and the
forum declaration read out by Dr Burhan Köroğlu.